Year-old homicide remains unsolved

One year after 36-year-old Emmett Salisbury’s body was found in his Clovis secondhand store, police say they are no closer to making an arrest in the homicide.

Salisbury was shot once in the chest approximately 12 hours before his body was discovered by his partner on Jan. 8, 2007. Several robberies occurred near the store around the time of his death.

“It’s still open. It’s still under investigation, but as of right now there’s nothing to follow,” said Clovis Police Capt. Patrick Whitney.

Vassie Sali-sbury said she has heard little about her son’s case over the last year.

“I haven’t heard a word from anybody. It’s been months since I’ve heard from the police,” she said. “It’s been hard, but I’ve hung in there,” she said.

“Today’s been a real down day,” she said Monday, which she marks as the day her son died.

“I’d like to see them (make an arrest),” she said.

Early in the investigation, two Clovis teenagers were named persons of interest in the case. The two were being investigated for
robberies that took place outside the store the night the homicide occurred.

Anthony Wallace, 19, was convicted of armed robbery and other related charges in December and faces up to 35 years in prison.

Larry McClendon, 20, is awaiting trial for the robberies.

Neither is charged in connection with Salisbury’s death.

“We have a deceased person, and we don’t have any witnesses. All we have to go on is evidence at the scene and what the people of interest tell us. You can’t charge people for murder for being present at robberies,” he said.

Whitney said police have identified people they believe have information but have been unsuccessful in contacting them.